Those looking to escape domestic and family violence may soon have access to a shelter locally in Drumheller, thanks to a donation by the Rotary Club of Drumheller to Big Country Anti-Violence Association (BCAVA) on Friday, August 28.
The nearest shelter currently is located in Strathmore and, while funding for transportation is available, space is not always available.
Secretary for Big Country Anti-Violence Association, Cora Bolt told the Mail, “We’ve thrown around the idea and discussed the need for an interim shelter in Drumheller for quite some time. I’d say this has been an ongoing discussion for years.”
She added talk of a local shelter started prior to the collapse of Victim’s Services, and those conversations have continued. “We were presented with a partnership with the Drumheller Housing Authority, from those discussions things started to happen and we’ve been able to move forward with a short-term interim emergency unit that we’re looking at getting in place,” she said.
The Rotary Club of Drumheller, along with Captain Ben Lippers from The Salvation Army, and April Harrison of Drumheller Valley Family and Community Support Services presented BCAVA with a cheque in the amount of $9,042; these funds will be used to help furnish the unit with new furnishing and bedding, as well as providing grocery cards.
“This is one of the reasons the Rotary exists, to help people in need, and we immediately jumped on it and made the application to the district, and they gave us a good portion of the funding,” Jim Fisher with the Rotary Club of Drumheller said.
He noted COVID-19 has impacted many of the club’s fundraising projects, putting them into a “bit of limbo,” but the Rotary Club is looking at alternative, virtual means of continuing fundraising efforts to provide more local community support.
Captain Ben Lippers with the local Salvation Army noted since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic the Salvation Army has seen increases for help with domestic violence support as well as support for the homeless in town.
“We’ve got a bandaid right now, and we’re playing with the bandaid,” Captain Lippers told the Mail. “We try to help wherever we can, wherever possible.”
He is hopeful the interim shelter will help provide more consistent and cohesive data which they can then provide to the appropriate government bodies for additional support in the future.

Morrin History Book Committee, with help from grant funding from the Government of Alberta, has published Blooming Prairies II, the latest history book for the village and surrounding area, which encompasses local stories and histories from 1970 to present.
The book was scheduled to be distributed at the Morrin Centennial Homecoming, but the village’s 100 year celebration had to be postponed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We had many community members pitch in and help procure information, write stories, and proofread. Thanks to everyone in the community for their stories and help,” Melanie Nelson, history book director, told the Mail.
The Morrin History Book Committee began with 10 members under the Morrin Agricultural Society.
In March 2020 the Morrin Agricultural Society was awarded with grant funding as part of the Alberta Culture, Multiculturalism, and Status of Women’s Community Initiatives Program. These funds assisted the committee with the cost of publishing.
Work on the book began in November 2016 and Nelson said the entire process, from start to finish, took three and a half years.
Following the first day of sales, Drumheller-Stettler MLA Nate Horner was presented with a copy of Blooming Prairies II by Morrin Agricultural Society president Sheldon Harvey, and members of the Morrin History Book Committee for his part in helping with the grant funding.
In total 680 copies of Blooming Prairies II were printed, and those interested can request a copy through the Morrin Centennial website; Blooming Prairies, which covers the village’s first 50 years, is also available for purchase.